Truckie hurt in crash

An Eltham man is in hospital with lacerations to his face and body after a collision between his truck and a Hilux ute towing a trailer on Mountain Rd, outside Midhirst on Tuesday.

Ike Brown was driving a Kenworth KW108 carrying milk powder from Hawera. His southbound vehicle was just outside Midhirst past the bridge when it met a Hilux V640 ute travelling northbound. The ute, driven by a Feilding man in his 40s, was towing a large flatdeck trailer carrying large pipes. The ute allegedly fishtailed into the path of Ike, 43, and some of the pipes flew off into the windscreen of the truck, smashing the glass into Ike's face.

Police at the scene say alcohol was not involved; however, they are investigating how the accident happened. Police say both drivers were "extremely lucky" to have had few injuries. Yvonne Brown, Ike's wife, came to the scene of the accident and told the Stratford Press "he is very lucky, I cried when they called me to tell me".